BMW Sauber F1 Team. Contents. 1. Team... 2 Fresh start... 2 Warm up... 5 Who s who... 8 Pit stop in Munich... 9 Pit stop in Hinwil...

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1 BMW Sauber F1 Team Page 1 Contents. 1. Team Fresh start Warm up Who s who Pit stop in Munich Pit stop in Hinwil Season Grand prix information Looking ahead Regulations Technology Chassis Engine Stats and facts Drivers Nick Heidfeld Jacques Villeneuve Management Mario Theissen Heinz Paschen Willy Rampf History BMW Motorsport Sauber Press service Contacts Services Editorial deadline: 13 December 2005

2 BMW Sauber F1 Team Page 2 1. Team. Fresh start. From zero up to race speed in 262 days. Munich. It was set in concrete as the day dawned on 22 nd June 2005: BMW would for the first time be running its own team in the FIA Formula One World Championship, starting the very next season On the afternoon of that same day in June, the Board of Management s decision was announced to the public at large. It was the starting signal for the race before the race: with just 262 days to go, the combined pulling power of a 600-strong team had to get things moving from standstill up to race speed. On 12 th March 2006 in Bahrain, the BMW Sauber F1 Team will launch its first season with the BMW Sauber F1.06, driven by Nick Heidfeld and Jacques Villeneuve. As Professor Burkhard Göschel, BMW Board Member for Development and Purchasing, points out: This project represents a strong, long-term commitment to Formula One on BMW s part. For the BMW Group, Formula One acts as a high-tech laboratory and technology accelerator. This synergistic effect has already had a very positive impact in our six years as an engine partner. But you can t win races with an engine alone, which is why we wanted to be involved in all the success factors. In keeping with that, we have now taken on overall responsibility. Formula One seems tailor-made for BMW s brand values, and there s no other sporting event that generates so much attention on such a regular basis worldwide. In 2006 we will primarily be building up experience. In 2005 Sauber came eighth in the Constructors World Championship. That is our starting point, and I can see plenty of upside potential. To set up a new team is a huge challenge, says Professor Mario Theissen, who as BMW Motorsport Director oversees all of BMW s racing involvements. Our concept includes boosting staff numbers, expanding the facility in Hinwil, an intensive development programme and the networking of all activities in Munich and Hinwil. The division of labour is as follows: Munich is in charge of the powertrain and electronics, Hinwil is responsible for the chassis and race

3 Page 3 deployment. We will be recruiting more than 100 new staff in Switzerland. The key priorities will be to convert the wind tunnel from single to three-shift operation as well as setting up an autonomous test team. The Hinwil wind tunnel is outstandingly good. Overall, the factory is good but not yet big enough. The extension plans, which include new offices as well as development and production facilities, have been drawn up and we expect planning permission to come through in spring of All measures will be fully implemented by the end of The 2006 season will be a year of development. That also applies to the technical package, whose concept was already largely established in Munich and Hinwil before the takeover. In 2006 we aim to grow together and maximise our potential. After 13 years as a team principal in Formula One, Peter Sauber has stepped back from the operational side of the business. Now 62, he will act as advisor to the new team. I was delighted that Sauber is to remain part of the team name. I shall be keeping a close eye on the progress of the BMW Sauber F1 Team. I m especially pleased for the staff in Hinwil, who will now have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills with the support of their colleagues from BMW. Two adoptive Swiss in the cockpit. They ve long known each other, they ve both raced for Sauber before, they both live in Switzerland but they ve never before been team-mates. Drivers Nick Heidfeld and Jacques Villeneuve can look back on a combined tally of 250 grands prix. Heidfeld (28) made his Formula One debut at the start of the 2000 season and competed for the Swiss racing team from 2001 to His best results so far are the two second places he claimed for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team in the 2005 season. He also took a pole position in the same year. The man from Mönchengladbach, whose daughter and first child was born in July 2005, has 98 race starts under his belt. I m really looking forward to the new season and the new team, many of whom I already know from years past, says Heidfeld. Besides, I can get to Hinwil in 15 minutes by car, which is a real advantage. It s natural for a racing

4 Page 4 driver to be impatient when it comes to achieving success, but we need to be realistic. For me the most important thing is that we re moving in the right direction. We have to work hard and make steady progress. No other driver in Formula One has risen to World Champion status as rapidly as Jacques Villeneuve. In 1996, his debut year, the Canadian already finished as runner-up behind his then Williams-Renault team-mate Damon Hill. Then in 1997 he beat Michael Schumacher to the title for Williams-Renault. In 152 grands prix he has taken eleven victories and claimed pole 13 times. After five years with the BAR team, it seemed his F1 career was over in But then he was given the chance to compete in the final three races of season 2004 for Renault. In 2005, the son of the famous Ferrari driver Gilles Villeneuve was signed up by Sauber. Building up a new team is a very complex task, says Villeneuve looking ahead to I ve already been through it in the past. But I think we ve got a number of good prerequisites coming together here. I ll be doing my very best to help the BMW Sauber F1 Team achieve success. New regulations. The most radical technical changes for 2006 affect the engines: Formula One is switching from three-litre V10 engines to V8 units with 2.4 litres displacement. The rules governing the new engines are far more tightly regulated and the scope for engineers has shrunk. The switch to the more compact V8 powerplants also brings with it noticeable modifications to the chassis. Among other changes, the cars will feature pared-down sidepods as the radiators can now be designed smaller than before. Racing fans can again look forward to the spectacle of tyre changing in the pits, which has the go-ahead again as of The qualifying format is also new: for the 2006 World Championship, grid positions will be determined in a shootout. From to hrs on Saturday, the fast laps will be driven in three time sections, with the slowest drivers in the first two 15-minute periods taking no further part in qualifying, leaving the remaining drivers to compete for the best starting positions in the final session.

5 Page 5 Warm up. Tentative talks led to gentle bonds being forged. A decision began to ripen. Then in June, things started happening. By January, the new BMW Sauber F1 Team was ready to present itself. January 2005 First concrete discussions between BMW and Sauber regarding engine supplies for Spring 2005 Discussions become more involved. Both sides discover shared concepts and goals. May 2005 The first-specification BMW P86 V8 engine is trialled on the test rig in Munich. 21 st June 2005 Negotiations go on far into the night. The realignment of the BMW Formula One venture is signed and sealed. 22 nd June 2005 At a press conference in Munich, BMW Board Member Professor Burkhard Göschel, BMW Motorsport Director Professor Mario Theissen and Peter Sauber announce that BMW has acquired a majority stake in the Sauber team. Credit Suisse extends its sponsorship by a further three years and signs up as an official partner of the BMW Sauber F1 Team from th July 2005 The BMW P86 engine embarks on its first track test in Jerez. July 2005 Joint working groups are created and the first meetings held in Munich and Hinwil. The integration process begins.

6 Page 6 September 2005 Workforce requirements are laid down and applicants are invited for more than 100 new jobs in Hinwil. 16 th September 2005 BMW announces a three-year contract with Nick Heidfeld as a team driver. End of September The concept for the 2006 chassis is signed off. 13 th October 2005 At the Chinese GP there are celebrations in honour of Peter Sauber. It is his 62 nd birthday and he is withdrawing from his operational responsibilities at the end of the season to become a team advisor. 28 th October 2005 Nick Heidfeld arrives in Hinwil for a seat fitting in the interim chassis. 14 th November 2005 The team name is announced. 15 th November 2005 The first BMW V8 engine for joint winter testing is delivered to Hinwil. November 2005 The race car receives its new livery. 22 nd November 2005 The BMW V8 is fired up in the interim chassis in Hinwil. 24 th November 2005 The BMW Sauber F1 Team and Petronas agree to a four-year contract in Kuala Lumpur, making the Malaysian oil and gas company the team s main sponsor. 28 th November 2005 Nick Heidfeld sets out on the first winter test in Barcelona in the Sauber C24B driven by the BMW P86 V8 engine.

7 Page 7 30 th November 2005 The first 2006 monocoque emerges from the autoclave. 1 st December 2005 Jacques Villeneuve is confirmed as a team driver. mid-december 2005 Nick Heidfeld and Jacques Villeneuve sit in the 2006 chassis for the first time for a seat fitting. BMW and Intel announce a comprehensive partnership. Intel becomes a new official partner of the BMW Sauber F1 Team. 27 th December 2005 Construction of the first 2006 chassis is launched. 13 th January 2006 The BMW V8 runs in the 2006 chassis for the first time at the Hinwil factory. 14 th January 2006 The BMW Sauber F1.06 chassis heads for Valencia for the rollout of the new race car. 16 th /17 th January 2006 The BMW Sauber F1 Team presents itself to the public in Valencia. The BMW Sauber F1.06 embarks on its first outing. End of February 2006 Planning application for the extension of the Hinwil facility is submitted. 1 st March 2006 Around 30 tonnes of freight are loaded up in Hinwil and transported to the grand prix in Bahrain. 12 th March 2006 The BMW Sauber F1 Team races in the Bahrain GP.

8 Page 8 Who s who. BMW Motorsport Director Driver number 16 Driver number 17 Technical Director Chassis (Hinwil) Technical Director Powertrain (Munich) Project Manager Head of Aerodynamics Team Manager Chief Race Engineer Chief Mechanic Race Team Head of Sponsoring and Business Relations Head of BMW Motorsport Communication Prof. Dr.-Ing. Mario Theissen Nick Heidfeld Jacques Villeneuve Willy Rampf Heinz Paschen Walter Riedl Seamus Mullarkey Beat Zehnder Mike Krack Urs Kuratle Guido Stalmann Jörg Kottmeier

9 Page 9 Pit stop in Munich. At the Munich site, 300 employees from a wide range of departments are involved in BMW s Formula One venture. Anton-Ditt-Bogen is the road where the pulse of the project beats. It is the home of BMW Motorsport. Here, in the north of Munich, is where the Formula One engines are developed, tested and built. The latest expansion phase saw state-of-the-art test rigs and laboratories introduced at the end of It also allows transmission development to be based in Munich. Formula One component manufacturing occupies a building of its own, along with the attached quality control department. Thanks to the electronic systems also being developed and manufactured here, the entire powertrain is integrated in a single location. The road in this industrial district is also home to numerous offices, including those of BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen and Heinz Paschen, the Technical Director responsible for the entire powertrain. The Sponsoring and Business Relations division is also based here, and the logistics department is run from the same site. Any motor racing fan would regard the materials warehouse as an Aladdin s cave it houses the clothes depot with the gear worn by the F1 crew, as well as a wide range of exhibits. Knorrstrasse in Munich is home to the BMW Forschungs- und Innovationszentrum (BMW Research and Innovation Centre), or FIZ for short. For the Formula One engineers it is just a few hundred yards to the FIZ specialists for face-to-face consultations on material analysis or rapid prototyping. Landshut, around an hour s drive northeast of Munich, is where the Formula One foundry is located, next-door to its series production counterpart. BMW has been manufacturing high-performance engines since Today, the BMW Group embraces the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. With the objective of becoming the most successful premium manufacturer in the motor industry, the company launched a product and market offensive with an unprecedented number of new models. BMW Group sales are set to

10 Page 10 rise to 1.4 million by 2008 (2004: 1,208,700 cars sold). The BMW Group employs around 106,000 staff in some 50 countries worldwide. As the Board Member for Development and Purchasing, Prof. Dr. Burkhard Göschel is also responsible for the group s motor sport projects. BMW s Formula One history goes back to the year The greatest success to date came in 1983 when Nelson Piquet won the Drivers World Championship in a Brabham BMW. Ahead of season 2006, BMW can look back on 200 starts, 19 grand prix wins and 32 pole positions.

11 Page 11 Pit stop in Hinwil. As of January 2006, the facility in the tranquil uplands around Zurich numbers around 300 employees. By the end of 2007, the workforce at Hinwil will swell to more than 400. To cope with the challenging development and testing programme, staff numbers in all departments will be ramped up, with the aerodynamics division receiving the biggest boost to allow for 24-hour operation of the wind tunnel in due course. The Hinwil complex embraces three buildings. The main building in Wildbachstrasse 9 houses the management, chassis concept and construction, and the administration. Along with the quality control department, the system and vehicle engineers as well as the race and test team are also housed here. The four-storey office and factory complex covers more than 6,800 square metres and also accommodates carbon-fibre production, chassis assembly and storerooms. Sauber had already moved into today s annexe in Wildbachstrasse 3b back in the era of the World Sports Car Championship. When the planned involvement in Formula One put space at a premium in these premises, the company relocated to the new block in Today this is the main building, while mechanical production remains at the former company headquarters. The state-of-the-art wind tunnel right next to the main building went on stream in spring of The structure measures 65 metres long, 50 metres wide and 17 metres high and is particularly striking for its glass façade. Working here alongside the technicians who operate the wind tunnel are also the model designers and constructors, the CFD specialists and other employees in the aerodynamics department. Albert, the 18-tonne supercomputer for CFD calculations and one of the most powerful machines in Formula One and the motoring industry as a whole, was put on the ground floor. An event area rounds off this technological and architectural tour de force.

12 BMW Sauber F1 Team Page 12 Media Page Season. Grand prix information. As at December GP 2006 Date Start time local/gmt 1 Bahrain hrs/ hrs Circuit length Race distance km km 57 laps Winner 2005 Pole 2005 Lap record F. Alonso Renault 1:29: hrs hrs/ km km F. Alonso Malaysia hrs 56 laps Renault 1:31: hrs hrs/ km km G. Fisichella Australia hrs 58 laps Renault 1:24: hrs hrs/ km km F. Alonso San Marino hrs 62 laps Renault 1:27: hrs hrs/ km km F. Alonso Europe hrs 60 laps Renault 1:31: hrs hrs/ km km K. Räikkönen Spain hrs 66 laps McLaren 1:27: hrs hrs/ km km K. Räikkönen Monaco hrs 78 laps McLaren 1:45: hrs hrs/ km km J.P. Montoya Great Britain hrs 60 laps McLaren 1:24: hrs hrs/ km km K. Räikkönen Canada hrs 70 laps McLaren 1:32: hrs * The grid lineup for the first six GPs of 2005 was based on the aggregate of two timed laps. F. Alonso Renault 3: min* F. Alonso Renault 3: min* G. Fisichella Renault 3: min* K. Räikkönen McLaren 2: min* N. Heidfeld BMW WilliamsF1 1: min K. Räikkönen McLaren 2: min* K. Räikkönen McLaren 2: min* F. Alonso Renault 1: min J. Button BAR Honda 1: min M. Schumacher (2004) Ferrari 1: min J.P. Montoya (2004) McLaren-Mercedes 1: min M. Schumacher (2004) Ferrari 1: min M. Schumacher (2004) Ferrari 1: min M. Schumacher (2004) Ferrari 1: min G. Fisichella (2005) Renault 1: min M. Schumacher (2004) Ferrari 1: min M. Schumacher (2004) Ferrari 1: min R. Barrichello (2004) Ferrari 1: min

13 Page 13 Media Page 13 Grand prix information. As at December GP 2006 Date Start time local/gmt 10 USA hrs/ hrs 11 France hrs/ hrs 12 Germany hrs/ hrs 13 Hungary hrs/ hrs 14 Turkey hrs/ hrs 15 Italy hrs/ hrs 16 Belgium hrs/ hrs 17 China hrs/ hrs Circuit length Race distance km km 73 laps km km 70 laps km km 67 laps km km 70 laps km km 58 laps km km 53 laps km km 44 laps km km 56 laps Winner 2005 Pole 2005 Lap record M. Schumacher Ferrari 1:29: hrs F. Alonso Renault 1:31: hrs F. Alonso Renault 1:26: hrs K. Räikkönen McLaren 1:37: hrs K. Räikkönen McLaren 1:24: hrs J.P. Montoya McLaren 1:14: hrs K. Räikkönen McLaren 1:30: hrs F. Alonso Renault 1:39: hrs J. Trulli Toyota 1: min F. Alonso Renault 1: min K. Räikkönen McLaren 1: min M. Schumacher Ferrari 1: min K. Räikkönen McLaren 1: min K. Räikkönen McLaren 1: min J.P. Montoya McLaren 1: min F. Alonso Renault 1: min R. Barrichello (2004) Ferrari 1: min M. Schumacher (2004) Ferrari 1: min K. Räikkönen (2004) McLaren-Mercedes 1: min M. Schumacher (2004) Ferrari 1: min J.P. Montoya (2005) McLaren-Mercedes 1: min R. Barrichello (2004) Ferrari 1: min K. Räikkönen (2004) McLaren-Mercedes 1: min M. Schumacher (2004) Ferrari 1: min

14 Page 14 Media Page 14 Grand prix information. As at December GP 2006 Date Start time local/gmt 18 Japan hrs/ hrs 19 Brazil hrs/ hrs Circuit length Race distance km km 53 laps km km 71 laps Winner 2005 Pole 2005 Lap record K. Räikkönen McLaren 1:29: hrs J.P. Montoya McLaren 1:29: hrs R. Schumacher Toyota 1: min F. Alonso Renault 1: min K. Räikkönen (2005) McLaren-Mercedes 1: min J.P. Montoya (2004) McLaren-Mercedes 1: min

15 Page 15 Media Page 15 Looking ahead. GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Heinz Paschen 1 BHR Bahrain has proved to be a valuable addition to the F1 calendar since the first GP there in The circuit is the centrepiece of a stateof-the-art facility which also houses the BMW Performance Center, with its BMW Driver Training programme and Formula BMW Racing School. As a manufacturer of premium cars, BMW has much to gain from the arrival of Formula One in the region. In 2005 the BMW Group recorded an increase in sales of some 25 percent in Bahrain. 2 MAL We are very much looking forward to Petronas home race. Not many cities are so dominated by a single company as Kuala Lumpur, gazing up as it does at the Petronas Twin Towers. As part of its Asia strategy, the BMW Group has stepped up its activities in Malaysia in recent years. These include establishing a sales company, a parts sales centre and an IT facility. This GP will be our first opportunity to see how we match up against our rivals and we ll find out whether we ve done our homework. The sand means that we can expect a high level of tyre wear. This circuit demands maximum downforce and good traction is particularly important in the corner leading out of the start/finish straight. The extra width of the track encourages the drivers to overtake and that goes down well with the fans. Sepang is a good mixture of slow corners demanding optimum grip and fast sections requiring maximum stability. Turns 9 and 11 are particularly tricky, the drivers having to brake into the corner under heavy lateral acceleration. As a result, you need to be very careful with car set-up and can expect to do a lot of work on the electronics. The asphalt is quite abrasive and temperatures are normally high, putting the tyres under extreme loads. The race in Bahrain will be a baptism of fire for the BMW P86 engine. We also have to prepare for two particular sources of wear on the engine: heat and sand. Last year the air temperature was 42 degrees Celsius and we set the car up to draw in as much cool air as possible. More finely-meshed air filters, meanwhile, help to deal with the sand blown in on the desert wind. In 2005 the team suffered engine damage caused by excessive coolant temperatures. The engines have to withstand extremely hot conditions in Sepang and fuel temperatures also rise to critical levels. All the teams will have additional or bigger air-cooling intakes in the sidepods, as well as apertures in the shape of slits, flues or exhaust vents. It s the task of the aerodynamics engineers and engine experts to find the right compromise.

16 Page 16 Media Page 16 Looking ahead. GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Heinz Paschen 3 AUS Melbourne will be rather different in It s not the first race of the season this year, having been pushed a month further back into the Australian autumn. The city always saves an exuberant welcome for Formula One and is sure to be oozing infectious enthusiasm again in SMR Everybody looks forward to the start of the European season with both people and materials having less distance to travel and the working conditions in the paddock are better. When we get to Europe, the teams become home-owners, with the motorhomes set up for the first time in the year. We will have a new home this year and are looking forward to settling in. However, the F1 village will have to squeeze into one of the smallest paddock areas for the European curtain-raiser. 5 EUR The two Formula One races in Germany naturally hold a special significance for BMW. The brand has celebrated some glorious touring car victories on the Nürburgring a shining example of how to keep a historic racing track intact while enhancing it with stateof-the-art circuit architecture. On the Friday, the track is still pretty dirty and grip only improves after quite a few laps. Melbourne is also very hard on the brakes, which is why we prioritise braking stability. The layout of the circuit is very similar to Imola and that s where we ll have our final pre-season testing. The settings we use in Imola will get the nod again in Melbourne. Imola not only demands a lot of downforce, it also places huge pressures on the brakes. That s why we use maximum brake cooling and the optimum brake specification for this race. The kerb stones in Imola are fairly high and the drivers have to be able to drive straight over them to set a good lap time. This places considerable mechanical loads on the chassis and suspension. Plus, the large number of chicanes make overtaking tricky. The cars tend to suffer from understeer at this circuit and that s the main thing we have to bear in mind with the car set-up. This understeer can be evened out through aerodynamic balancing or mechanical modifications to the set-up. The track offers good levels of grip and rubber wear is not too extreme, which allows us to run a relatively soft compound. As far as engine wear is concerned, the layout of the Albert Park circuit and the weather we re likely to get should make for well-balanced conditions. There aren t any real extremes which demand special preparations for the engine. As the cars run with considerable downforce at Imola, the engines have to work under heavy loads. There are also uphill sections which put the materials under even more pressure. The full-throttle percentage and maximum speeds recorded at the Nürburgring are mid-way up the F1 scale. The engines are all affected by the altitude of the track, which is located a good 600 metres above sea level. For every one hundred metres above sea level, the thinning air sucks out around one percent of an engine s output.

17 Page 17 Media Page 17 Looking ahead. GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Heinz Paschen 6 ESP In years gone by, Spain has often failed to attract the fans. In 2005, however, the organisers announced a sell-out crowd. It s fantastic the euphoria Fernando Alonso has triggered in his home country. Spain is a significant growth market for BMW and we are delighted that interest in F1 has taken off in this way. 7 MCO The eyes of the world are on Monaco for the GP. The race around the principality represents the jewel in Formula One s crown, although the circuit has little in common with a modern race track. The glamour side of it is a matter of taste, but it s all part of F1 s image. Barcelona is a popular venue for testing and is therefore well known to all the teams. Here, the aerodynamic efficiency of the cars and the performance of the tyres come to the fore. The circuit used to be considered something of a tyre-wrecker, but the asphalt was re-laid at the end of 2004 and we were able to use a softer rubber last year. The circuit reacts strongly to temperature fluctuations, which is reflected in grip levels and consequently in the lap times as well. The teams therefore need to make constant adjustments. In contrast to other tracks, speeds here are relatively low. Downforce therefore takes precedence over aerodynamic efficiency. Traction is also a key factor. As the course is re-opened to public traffic between each practice session, grip levels can fluctuate wildly a nightmare when it comes to set-up. The car s responses have to be extremely precise here, as the smallest error can bring your race to an end. The long straight rewards power, of course. Circuits like this one, which otherwise place only average loads on the car, will provide welcome relief in The problem is that variable intake trumpets which were previously used to optimise torque development and engine driveability are not permitted on the new V8 engines. Raw power doesn t get you very far on the tight and twisty Monte Carlo course. Instead, it is good engine driveability that makes the difference. The Loews hairpin was the only corner on the F1 calendar where the V10s fell below 5,000 rpm.

18 Page 18 Media Page 18 Looking ahead. GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Heinz Paschen 8 GBR Silverstone has been the source of frequent discussions, but remains a classic GP circuit. Britain is the only market for the BMW Group which has production facilities for all three of the Group s brands. The MINI is built in Oxford, Rolls-Royce cars in Goodwood and BMW car engines in Hams Hall. Great Britain is the third-largest market for the BMW Group after the USA and Germany and tops the sales charts for the MINI. 9 CAN Montreal is an extremely demanding track from a technical and driving point of view, and its unique location on the island in the St. Lawrence River which has also hosted an Expo and the Olympic Games gives it a special allure. The people here are certainly mad about Formula One. A lot of BMW fans come to watch the race and celebrate BMW M Night in the city centre, where a street is sealed off for the event. Silverstone is a high-speed circuit, where the drivers have to carry as much speed as possible out of the fast corners into the straights. The balance and stability of the car is determined chiefly by aerodynamic measures. The amount of braking energy generated here is not generally that great but the track surface is hard on tyres, so the teams tend to opt for a harder compound. Montreal demands a moderate amount of downforce, but is harder on the brakes than any other circuit on the F1 calendar. Maximum brake cooling and the use of highperformance brake materials are essential. Through the back section, the drivers skirt right along the concrete wall. This means a well-balanced car is vital in order to create the necessary trust between man and machine. At 58 percent, the full-throttle percentage at Silverstone is slightly above the average for the season and the engines are pushed hard down the three straights. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a high-speed track, recording the third-highest top speeds on the calendar. Only in Monza and Indianapolis do the cars travel faster. The long straights push the P86 engine to the limit. Its idyllic location on the tree-covered island also has a negative side, with the car radiator easily becoming blocked by foliage.

19 Page 19 Media Page 19 Looking ahead. GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Heinz Paschen 10 USA We are sincerely hoping that the American motor sport fans can forgive Formula One for the disappointment of The events in Indianapolis have made us all the more determined to offer them top-class racing in Assessed by sales volume, the USA is the most important market for the BMW Group, and the company s largest production facilities outside Germany are also to be found here. 11 FRA In some respects, Magny-Cours is the opposite of Monte Carlo. Glamour is conspicuous by its absence in this serene but rather inaccessible corner of central France. This leaves you to focus on the racing and the technical challenge presented by the circuit. It was here in 2001 that we took our first pole position since returning to Formula One. Its high-banked corner makes Indianapolis a unique circuit in Formula One. The mixture of a tight infield and the full-throttle section through the oval curve and along the start/finish straight means we have to strike a compromise in the car set-up. On the one hand you need good braking stability and traction over the slower sections, but you also have to ensure low drag and high top speeds for the long straight. Turn 1 of the oval is taken flat out, and as such is not really a corner in the F1 definition of the word. Indeed, it would be more accurately described as the longest straight in Formula One. From a technical point of view, this race track offers a fascinating mix of slow corners like the Adelaide hairpin and the right-left combination before the start/finish line and the fast S-shaped sector mid-way through the lap. The slower sections put the emphasis on traction and here the rear tyres in particular are under heavy loads. Indeed, tyre wear plays an important role in deciding the best race strategy. Indianapolis puts the BMW P86 engine under maximum mechanical loads. The drivers run at full throttle for a full 20 seconds through the oval section, with the engines under particular stress over the second half of the straight. Here the cars are at the limit of their performance for ten seconds at the end of the straight. For me Indianapolis is always something rather special. Nowhere else do you hear the engines running under maximum loads and at maximum revs for so long. The full-throttle percentage, top speeds and long straight are central elements in the Circuit de Nevers. However, heat has also frequently been a factor in previous years. Increased thermal loads clearly place significant demands on the durability of the engine.

20 Page 20 Media Page 20 Looking ahead. GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Heinz Paschen 12 GER The German Grand Prix is one of the highlights of the season for BMW. That s especially true for the fans, who create an extraordinary atmosphere inside the Motodrom stadium section. However, from a sporting point of view our home grand prix is essentially just another race for the team and drivers and we set out to 13 HUN do the best we can. The German/Hungarian GPs make up the fourth of six back-to-back race weekends in And that places huge stresses on the teams and cars. Many team members don t manage to get home at all in between races. Setting up and clearing away, preparing the cars and transportation all take place under considerable time pressure and there are no opportunities for testing. Hungary is currently the BMW Group s fastest-growing market. Sales almost doubled between 2004 and TUR The Turkish Grand Prix earned its place on the F1 calendar with its debut in The set-up and track design here are outstanding. Formula One has been welcomed with open arms in this melting pot of cultures, where tradition and the modern world come together. This grand prix follows a short breathing space in the schedule, during which testing is not permitted. The smooth track surface means that tyre wear isn t a serious issue here. The best overtaking opportunity is at the hairpin after the Parabolika, although the high speeds carried into the corner demand outstanding braking performance and stability. Plus, the car requires good grip levels on the exit from the turn. Like Monaco, the twisty Hungaroring requires maximum downforce, and overtaking opportunities are few and far between. And no sooner is the sand cleared from the track one day than it is back again the next. Grip is consequently in short supply, with understeer never far away. However, the teams normally run softer tyre compounds. As far as the car set-up is concerned, you have to pay particular attention to the second sector with its variety of corner combinations. In 2005 we were expecting high temperatures, but the heat never really materialised. The layout of this new circuit caught the imagination of the whole F1 community, and the drivers especially were full of praise. Consisting of four distinct sections following one after the other, turn 8 presents a particularly stern challenge. The ideal line is far from clear and several drivers got into difficulty there in qualifying last year. As an engine man, I still mourn the loss of Hockenheim s long run through the forest, which was still a feature of the track up to However, the loads on the engine remain in the top third of F1 tracks and high temperatures are bound to be a factor in late July. The Hungaroring has the lowest full-throttle percentage of any circuit on the calendar bar Monaco. Instead, it is the heat which pushes the engines to their limits in Budapest. The circuit is set in a deep bowl, which really traps the heat when the midsummer temperatures start to soar, as they often do. With the absence of straights on the circuit, a lack of cooling air can also be a problem. The track layout challenges the drivers to catch the acceleration point spot-on on the exit from the corners so as not to sacrifice any engine power. Added to which, high air temperatures here could, of course, become an issue for the engines.

21 Page 21 Media Page 21 Looking ahead. GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Heinz Paschen 15 ITA The Italian Grand Prix in Monza is the nearest the Hinwil-based team have to a home race. Just a three-hour journey away, the race has traditionally attracted hordes of Sauber fans and we re looking forward to seeing them there again. The circuit in the Royal Park is the king of all high-speed tracks and inspires great respect from everybody involved. In 2002 we became the first engine manufacturer to break through the 19,000-rpm barrier there. 16 BEL Today, Spa-Francorchamps is the only remaining Formula One circuit which can justifiably be called a natural race track. Firstly, the track follows the contours of the landscape rather than vice-versa. Secondly, unpredictable weather conditions are an ingrained part of the Ardennes austere character. Waterproofs and warm clothes are the order of the day. To set a good lap time in Monza you have to be quick along the straights. Low drag and therefore low downforce are the key. The drivers brake heavily coming into the chicanes, which places immense loads on the materials. However, to be quick through the chicanes, the car also has to be able to run smoothly over the kerbs and generate good grip. And that represents a serious challenge for the engineers, given the low downforce necessary. A special aero package not used at any other circuit is pressed into action at Monza. The extreme contrasts of the track layout hit you right from the start of the lap. After the slow La Source hairpin comes Eau Rouge, which the drivers take flat out. Here, the drivers have to cope not only with lateral loads, but also compression forces as the car bottoms out. This wide variety of corners means that the engineers have to make sure the chassis is well balanced in the interests of car stability. Added to which, the high speeds through several of the corners, such as Blanchimont, exert heavy loads on the tyres. There s no question, Monza is the hardest circuit of the lot on engines. At 67 percent (with the V10), the Italian track has the highest full-throttle percentage of any F1 circuit and nowhere else do top speeds reach these heights. The longest flat-out section measures 1,268 metres, the third-longest after Spa and Indianapolis. If the drivers keep their foot on the gas all the way through the legendary Eau Rouge compression at Spa-Francorchamps, they will enjoy at 1,821 metres a slightly longer fullthrottle period than even at Indianapolis, making it the longest on the F1 calendar. Plus, the changes in elevation at Spa place heavy demands on the engines. The start of the race is always particularly exciting, as the track rises up and then suddenly pitches the drivers into the first-gear La Source hairpin.

22 Page 22 Media Page 22 Looking ahead. GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Heinz Paschen 17 CHN The dimensions of the Shanghai circuit complex were still extremely impressive on our second visit to the track last year. Giving China a round of the World Championship in 2004 opened the door to amazing opportunities for all the companies associated with Formula One. The Chinese market has enormous growth potential for the BMW Group as well, with the company registering a 30-percent increase in business in BMW has its own production facilities in China, building 3 Series and 5 Series models there. 18 JPN It is for good reason that many drivers name Suzuka as their favourite track. An exacting challenge, this is the only current F1 circuit with a figure-8 layout and the amusement park adds extra charm. The Japanese Formula One fans are fantastic and Japan is an important market for the BMW Group. In 1981 the company became the first European carmaker to establish a subsidiary there and today it is the market leader in the premium segment. Like Suzuka, this circuit demands high downforce and the same kind of compromise in ensuring speed both through the corners and on the straights. The generous track width is great for overtaking, provided the car set-up has been well thought through. The asphalt surface is fairly abrasive, which leads to tyre graining and adversely affects the balance of the car. A well-balanced car is a must here. The Esses at the start of the lap are particularly critical. The car has to be able to change direction here quickly and with great accuracy, and any handling problems will cost time. Suzuka s numerous corners take a heavy toll on the tyres and that can take the edge off your race pace. Indeed, the concentration of corners is one of the highest anywhere. The small run-off areas are another characteristic feature of the track and mean small driver errors can take you out of the race. The Shanghai circuit is fairly middle-of-theroad compared to the other Formula One venues on the 2006 calendar when it comes to full-throttle percentage and top speeds. Suzuka is another of the power circuits in the final quarter of the season. The ultra-fast 130R corner places particularly heavy loads on the engine s oil circuit. We measured lateral acceleration of up to 6g with the V10 engine and that makes it difficult to keep the oil flowing.

23 Page 23 Media Page 23 Looking ahead. GP Mario Theissen Willy Rampf Heinz Paschen 19 BRA For an exciting final race you need the World Championship to still be up for grabs. The demanding nature of the track and frequently adverse weather conditions in Sao Paulo create all the conditions for a gripping grand prix. Like Imola and Istanbul, Interlagos is an anti-clockwise track. And that exerts even more pressure on the drivers neck muscles. Interlagos is know as something of a mogul field, which makes it vital that the car s spring and damper settings are tweaked to provide an optimum set-up. The rough asphalt means tyre wear invariably becomes an issue. The strong likelihood of rain often requires a compromise set-up which covers the possibility of both dry and wet track conditions. The engines are really put through their paces at Interlagos by the start/finish straight, which is not only long but also rising. This incline also serves to make the start particularly exciting. The altitude of the circuit and the thinner air which this entails deprives the car of some eight percent of its output, an even more extreme loss of power than at the Nürburgring and one that afflicts all the engines in equal measure.

24 BMW Sauber F1 Team Page 24 Regulations. The only constant factor is change. It s back to the drawing board once again for spectators, drivers and strategists alike in 2006, with the introduction of a series of new technical and sporting regulations. Smaller engines: from 2006, the Formula One cars will line up with 2.4-litre V8 engines. Alternatively, derated 3.0-litre V10 engines from 2005 may also be used. More tyres: different types of tyre are permitted for dry and wet or damp track conditions, as well as for extreme weather. Over the course of the race weekend, each driver is permitted a maximum of seven sets of dry-weather tyres with no more than two specifications. However, all tyres used in qualifying and the race itself have to be of the same specification. During the race, tyres (of the same specification) may be changed as often as desired. In addition, each driver may have a maximum of four sets of wet-weather tyres and three sets of extreme-weather tyres. Only one specification is permitted of both these types of tyre. This specification must meet the precise stipulations governing contact area when new. Knockout qualifying: the single-lap qualifying system of 2005 has been axed. In 2006 the track is free for all cars between and hrs. The slowest five then drop out and fill the final five grid positions in order of lap time. After part 2 of qualifying between and hrs, the five slowest drivers again drop out and fill grid positions eleven to 15. If there are 22 or 24 cars at the start of qualifying, the slowest six drivers in each of the first two qualifying sessions drop out.

25 Page 25 Qualifying for the top ten drivers lasts for 20 minutes and lap times set so far are erased. The remaining drivers must begin the final 20-minute session with the same fuel load with which they plan to start the race. Whatever fuel they use in the 20 minutes may be replaced at the end of the session. During the first 40 minutes of qualifying, on the other hand, the cars may be refuelled as often as desired. Drivers finishing outside the top ten in qualifying (or the top twelve if there are 24 qualifiers) may also refuel between qualifying and the race. (As at December 2005)

26 BMW Sauber F1 Team Page Technology. Chassis. The BMW Sauber F1.06 takes to the stage. Although the most important change to the regulations for the 2006 season concerns the engines down from ten cylinders to eight and 3-litre displacement to 2.4 litres there are also far-reaching consequences for the chassis construction. The V8 power units are shorter, use less petrol and require a smaller radiator surface, which has a significant effect on the car s design. The minimum chassis dimensions stipulated by the FIA ensure that the cars overall dimensions will remain almost unchanged. The more compact engine gives the designers more freedom in the design of the overall car, explains Willy Rampf, Technical Director at the BMW Sauber F1 Team. The reduced tank capacity of the BMW Sauber F1.06 influenced both the design of the monocoque and the position of the engine. Added to which, the shorter engine allowed the engineers to extend the length of the 7-speed transmission s titanium casing. This, in turn, encouraged the construction of a particularly svelte rear end. Aerodynamics in the spotlight. Although knowledge gained from the development of the Sauber C24 has not surprisingly found its way into the new car, the BMW Sauber F1.06 is every inch a new design. The engineers focused in particular on aerodynamics, widening their objectives beyond just optimum downforce to enhancing efficiency as well. The construction, arrangement and design of all the car s sub-assemblies and components were based around these criteria. The front section of the new car has been given some striking new features. The chassis has been lowered considerably at the front, with the effect that the lower wishbones are no longer attached below the monocoque but to the side of the chassis. The nose of the car has also been lowered further to the ground, with its underside curving upwards slightly. Naturally, the front wing has been modified in line with the other changes through a host of optimisation measures. All of these measures help to optimise the air flow around the aerodynamically critical underbody.

27 Page 27 The reduced cooling requirement of the V8 engine allows not only the use of more compact radiators, but also smaller apertures in the sidepods. This also benefits the car s aerodynamics. The same applies to the rollover bar with integral air intake, which has been reduced in size due to the engine s lower air throughput. Plus, complex finite-element calculations made it possible to significantly reduce the weight of the rollover bar, while at the same time meeting the stringent safety stipulations. The shorter engine has allowed the rear end of the BMW Sauber F1.06 to become even leaner and more harmonious, ensuring optimum air flow over the rear wing. The exhaust tailpipes have been moved further back from their location on the C24. The engineers used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to position them in such a way that the hot exhaust gases are channelled around structural components such as the rear suspension and rear wing in the most efficient way possible. The development of the rear wing will be a significantly higher priority during the coming season. Last year we started most races with maximum downforce, explains Rampf. The high output of the 3-litre engines meant that drag did not play a dominant role at many circuits. That has now changed fundamentally. The 20-percent reduction in engine displacement means the team will be looking at making compromises at many more circuits when it comes to downforce and drag. Whereas in 2005 the team used three basic rear wings for high, medium and low downforce, this year there will be a greater number of variants. If we re also looking to achieve the top speed which we ve calculated as a target, there will only be a few tracks where we can still run with maximum downforce, says Rampf. And that means aerodynamic development work will focus far more closely than in the past on the development of finely graded rear wing variants. New design for the suspension. A totally new feature of the BMW Sauber F1.06 is the design of the front and rear suspension. On the front axle, the layout is influenced significantly by the higher attachment points of the lower wishbones, which reflect the focus on aerodynamics. The rear axle is also a new construction. Here, modified

28 Page 28 kinematics aimed at responding better to the Michelin tyres were at the centre of the engineers considerations. As Rampf confirms, The new rear suspension geometry will allow us to exploit the potential of the Michelin tyres much more effectively. Lowering the front section also allows the assembly position of the pedals and inboard front-axle components to drop by a similar degree, as well as ensuring a lower position for the driver s legs. All these factors help to bring down the car s centre of gravity. Our declared aim in the medium term is to close the gap on the leading teams. The BMW Sauber F1.06 represents our first step in that direction, says Rampf of the team s objectives.

29 Page 29 BMW Sauber F1.06 technical data. Chassis: carbon-fibre monocoque Suspension: upper and lower wishbones (front and rear), inboard springs and dampers, actuated by pushrods (Sachs Race Engineering) Brakes: six-piston callipers (Brembo), carbon pads and discs (Brembo, Carbone Industrie) Transmission: longitudinally mounted 7-speed transmission, carbon-fibre clutch (AP) Chassis electronics: Magneti Marelli Steering wheel: BMW Sauber F1 Team Tyres: Michelin Wheels: OZ Dimensions: length 4,610 mm width 1,800 mm height 1,000 mm track width, front 1,470 mm track width, rear 1,410 mm wheelbase 3,110 mm Weight: 600 kg (incl. driver, ready to drive, tank empty)

30 Page 30 The wind tunnel: high-tech tool and marketing instrument. Aerodynamics account for around two thirds of a modern Formula One car s performance, says Willy Rampf. It is therefore important to give this area the priority it deserves. In its drive to shave off those extra tenths of a second, the BMW Sauber F1 Team can rely on the services of one of Formula One s most advanced wind tunnels. This facility represents the state of the art in terms of the wind speed it can generate, the size of the test section and models, the dimensions of its rolling road, the model motion system and its data collection capability. The wind tunnel has a closed-circuit design, a total length of 141 metres and a maximum tube diameter of 9.4 metres. The total weight of the steel elements, including the fan housing, stands at 480 tonnes. The single-stage axial fan with carbon rotor blades, including the motor and housing, weighs in at 66 tonnes. When operating under full load, the main fan uses 3,000 kw of power, enabling wind speeds of up to 300 km/h. In order to eliminate the transmission of vibrations to the building, the axial fan is mounted on vibration dampers fixed to a solid concrete base. The core element of any wind tunnel is the test section, where the models are exposed to air flow. The extremely generous cross-section and length of the rolling road create optimum conditions for achieving precise results. The tests are carried out with 60-percent models. The entire rolling road platform can be rotated in order to simulate not only frontal but also side-slip conditions at an angle of up to ten degrees. It is fitted with a steel belt which simulates the relative motion between the vehicle and the road. The moving steel belt reaches the same velocity as the air stream, i.e. up to 300 km/h. Located underneath the moving belt are load cells, which are used to measure wheel lift during the tests. As a rule, wind tunnels are not the easiest buildings on the eye when viewed from the outside. Things are rather different at Hinwil, through, where the designers also focused on enhancing the exterior qualities of the facility. The building leaves quite an impression, and not just in terms of its dimensions